Kathmandu Airport (KTM) Information

Where is Kathmandu Airport?  

Kathmandu, once thought to be the fabled and inaccessible Shangri-La, has numerous sacred sights, such as the Swayambhu and the Boudha Stupa (a UNESCO World Heritage site).

Kathmandu is a hub for independent travellers seeking Buddhist study, yoga, meditation and enlightenment - and/or Himalayan hiking, massage courses, sightseeing and festivals - or simply shopping (silver and clothing are popular).

Kathmandu International Airport (IATA: KTM, ICAO: VNKT), officially Tribhuvan International Airport, and most commonly referred to as Kathmandu Airport is situated in the Kathmandu Valley, not far from the centre of Kathmandu, in Bagmati Zone, Nepal.

Serving the nation's capital, Kathmandu Tribhuvan Airport is Nepal's sole international airport. It has 1 international terminal and 1 domestic terminal. The airport's official name, Tribhuvan Airport, is in memory of King Mahendra's father. 

Airlines serving Kathmandu Airport include Air Arabia, Air Asia X, Air China, Air India, Bahrain Air, BB Airways, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Buddha Air, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Dragonair, Druk Air, Etihad Airways, FlyDubai, Gulf Air, IndiGo, Jet Airways, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Nepal Airlines (hub), Oman Air, Pakistan International Airlines, Qatar Airways, RAK Airways, SilkAir, Spicejet, Thai Airways, United Airways and Yeti Airlines.

Destinations served from Kathmandu Airport include Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Bangkok, Bhadrapur, Bhairahawa, Bharatpur, Bhojpur, Biratnagar, Chaurjhari, Chengdu, Delhi, Dhaka, Dhangadhi, Doha, Dubai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Janakpur, Karachi, Kuala Lumpur, Kunming, Lamidanda, Mumbai, Muscat, Nepalgunj, Oman, Paro, Phaplu, Pokhara, Ras al-Khaimah, Rukumkot, Rumjatar, Seoul, Sharjah, Simara, Singapore, Tumlingtar and Varanasi.

Kathmandu Airport was named #3 on the list of the World's Worst Airports 2014 by Sleeping in Airports. Check out our blog post, Layover Ideas for the World's Worst Airports, for inspiration if you get stuck here.

Your best bet for a Kathmandu Airport transfer is a taxi. Details on all options are included in this guide.

Or, to truly arrive stress free, treat yourself to a private Kathmandu Airport transfer from IHateTaxis.

Services at Kathmandu Airport include:

• A few shops (souvenirs, NCell SIM cards)
• Nepal Telecommunications (Tele-fax, International and Domestic direct dial telephones) - ground floor
• Free local phones - ground floor concourse
• Cafes (though there is no food past security for domestic departures)
• Duty free shops - international terminal, first floor
• The Radisson Hotel Kathmandu operates an executive lounge for first and business class passengers for some airlines
• Thai Airways business class lounge (and Star Alliance Gold card holders)
• Post office - ground floor
• Tourist information - first floor 
• Medical services

 

Additional Kathmandu Airport information may be found by visiting their official website below.

• Official KTM Kathmandu International Airport Website